Ally or Aly: Effective English Spelling Guide

Spelling the word ‘ally’ can be tricky. Aly and allie are common misspellings of the word. It’s important to know the appropriate spelling of this word as spelling errors can make your writing look unprofessional. How do you spell ally? In this article, you’ll learn how to spell the word correctly.

Definition of Ally

The word ‘ally’ originates from the Latin word ‘alligare,’ which means ‘to bind to.’ An ally is an associate who provides assistance or support. The word refers to a group, nation, or person who cooperates with another for a common purpose.

When you say someone is your ally, they are on your side, like a teammate. Nations who are allies act together to protect one another.

The word can also function as a verb to mean ‘join forces with.’ It also means to connect with someone because of a mutual relationship or unite with someone formally, like marriage or a league. For instance, you ally yourself with a professional to learn from them.

How Do You Spell Ally?

From the origin of the word ‘alligare,‘ it would seem like the actual spelling of the word would be allie – but this is incorrect!

The only correct spelling of the word is A-L-L-Y, with the letter l doubled. It is a 4-lettered, two-syllable word with one vowel and three consonants.

The word’s phonetic pronunciation goes /ˈæl.aɪ/ with the stress on the first syllable as in AL-ly. You can use a dictionary to learn how to pronounce the word correctly.

What Part of Speech Is ‘Ally’

The word ‘ally’ functions as a noun and a verb in different contexts. As a verb, it means ‘To unite, or create a connection between someone, such as families, or states through marriage or a treaty.’ It also means ‘to connect or form a relationship with someone by similitude, friendship, love, and resemblance.’

Synonyms of the word are – to combine, to link, or join. The verb forms of the word are: allies – simple present tense, allying – present participle and allied – simple past tense.

Examples

• The employees allied against their boss.
• Mary hitched that she had no choice but to ally herself with the new group in school.
• Daniel allies with his teacher to run the press club.
• Liz is allying with her husband to bring down the school board’s Chairman.
• Hey Frank, can we be allies?

As a noun, it refers to a group, organization, or state associated with another for a common cause. Or one that is united to another by treaty or common purpose. It can also mean a person or group associated with another as a supporter or helper. The word’s plural is ‘allies.’ Synonyms are associate, partner, colleague, and friend.

Examples

• Dave is my only faithful ally.
• Oh, so you are now June’s ally?
• England has always been an ally of Portugal.
• John is a close ally of the Governor.
• During World War I, Turkey was an ally of Germany.
• Can you believe that James and Hannah are now allies?

To Wrap Up

How do you spell ally? Ally is an English word spelled as A-L-L-Y with the letter l doubled. The word functions as a noun and a verb. As a noun, it means a friend or partner who unites with, aids another, or is of assistance.

Ally is also a verb that means ‘to help, join forces, connect or support.’ This guide has provided the accurate spelling of the word ‘ally’ with relevant examples to help you practice.